


Summer Nights and Fireflies

by SugoiKawaiiDesuNe



Series: Silver Linings [3]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Anxiety, But can be read alone, Coming Out, Family Bonding, Fluff, Human AU, I hate how Virgil comes out looking like the baby in this lol, I think before Natural?, I'm also very aware that neither Remy nor Nate are sides, Kinda, Trans Male Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Trans Male Character, accidental misgendering, brief smoking scene, but it works in my head so it's a thing now, but trans virgil wanted to make an appearance and wouldn't leave me alone about it so, familial virgil/remy/nate, he's actually the oldest whoops, here you go, honestly this is just projection, i don't care, i probably forgot something, it be like that sometimes tho, it's weird and I know that, not sure where this actually fits in in the series, of what I wish would happen, part of a series, remy's a good brother okay, so is nate he's just not in this one much, the tags are probably longer, this is really short, this wasn't originally planned, virgil needs better coping mechanisms tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:00:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24635704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugoiKawaiiDesuNe/pseuds/SugoiKawaiiDesuNe
Summary: Virgil spends an evening with his two favorite brothers, Remy and Nate. Summer is just beginning, it's just the three of them, and it's the perfect time to have a heart-to-heart about who he really is.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Procrastination | Nate Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Sleep | Remy Sanders
Series: Silver Linings [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1420882
Kudos: 19





	Summer Nights and Fireflies

Virgil sat on the kitchen counter, ankles thumping softly against the cabinets below. A warm smile had firmly attached itself to his face, but he didn’t feel the need to keep up appearances here. His family always had that effect on him, always made him feel warm and safe and content.

Well, his true family did.

Remy was sucking loudly on the straw of his very empty Starbucks cup, and though the sound was annoying, Virgil couldn’t help the way his smile grew into a full-on grin. 

Both of their eyes were locked on Nate’s back as he stood at the stove, focusing intently on the stir fry sizzling in the pan. Nate’s shoulders hunched just the tiniest bit, but it was enough for Remy, and he quickly ducked just as Nate launched his spatula toward his head. 

Virgil winced as the spatula banged against the wall and clattered to the ground, laughing so hard his ribs hurt.

“Get out of my kitchen,” Nate said, pointing at the door even as he retrieved another spatula from one of the drawers.

“You know you love me,” Remy sang, poking his tongue out at him.

Nate lifted the spatula above his head, and Remy bolted out the door.

Virgil promptly fell off the counter from laughing too hard, barely registering as Remy threw his arm back inside, blindly searching until he found Virgil’s hoodie and yanked him along. He went easily enough, still laughing as Remy dragged him to the front door and out onto the porch.

“He’s going to kill you one day,” Virgil breathed.

Remy scoffed, grin still in place as he leaned back against the rails. “No, he won’t, he’s too lazy to actually chase me down, and I have amazing reflexes.”

Virgil laughed, leaning against the railing next to his brother. “Your luck’s going to run out sometime, Rem.”

Remy rolled his eyes, tilting his head back to look up at the sky. “I don’t need luck,” he said. “I make my own luck.”

Virgil raised a brow at him, the silence stretching only for a moment before they both fell back into hysterics. 

“That was the cheesiest thing I’ve ever heard you say,” Virgil said.

Remy waved a hand at him, trying to quell his own giggles. “Shut up.”

Silence fell between them again, the kind that made Virgil feel warm inside. He closed his eyes, inhaling the cool, night air. He could hear the crickets chirping from the tree line, the soft wind brushing through the grass, a dog barking in the distance. 

“I love summer,” he breathed. He didn’t need to open his eyes to see Remy’s grin.

“Hell yes, this summer is going to be the best, girl. Nate and I are already planning our first bonfire, and you’d better be there.”

Virgil felt a lump rising in his throat, his thoughts of safety and calm shattering instantly. His chest ached as he opened his eyes, avoiding his brother’s gaze as he pulled his cigarettes from his pocket. He ignored the shaking of his hands as he lit one and passed another to Remy.

Remy arched a brow at him, taking the cigarette but making no move to light it.

Virgil took a deep breath, holding the smoke in his lungs for a long moment before breathing it out slowly, watching the intricate trails it made before him. 

Remy watched him, waiting for him to speak up. Minutes passed, and it soon became clear that was not going to happen. He sighed, absently twirling the cigarette between his fingers as he pushed himself up, turning to face Virgil directly. 

Virgil refused to meet his gaze, staring up at the moon above them instead. “It’s really bright tonight,” he said.

Remy rolled his eyes. “Alright, spill.”

Virgil flinched but kept his eyes on the sky. “Spill?”

“What’s wrong, Violet?” Remy asked, his tone frustrated but no less endearing.

Virgil felt the lump in his throat tighten, squeezing out what little air he had left. 

“Vi? Shit, what’d I do?”

Virgil finally looked at his brother, eyebrows drawn together in confusion until he felt the wetness on his cheeks. Reaching up, he scrubbed at his eyes, trying to erase any sign that he had been crying, but it was too late. 

Remy reached forward, gently taking Virgil’s hands in his own, and pulled them away from his face. “Hey, you’re okay. What’s wrong?” 

Virgil hated when Remy got soft, when his voice lowered to a whisper and his hands became gentle. Virgil was the only one to bring out this side of him, and he loved his brother. He loved how much Remy loved him and how it showed when it mattered, but it always made him feel guilty, like he was seeing something he was never meant to see. 

He breathed in a shaky breath, that lump only growing and growing and-

“Violet, breathe with me, girl, come on-“

“’S not my name,” Virgil breathed finally, the words ripping through his throat like hot knives, leaving behind molten lava and the taste of ash.

Remy stilled immediately, though his grasp on Virgil’s hands was still impossibly gentle. 

Virgil tried to wait for him to say something, anything, but the seconds were ticking by, and Remy still hadn’t said anything or moved at all, and Virgil still couldn’t breathe-

“What’s your name then, babe?”

Virgil’s thoughts came to a stuttering halt, eyes wide as he looked up at his brother. Remy’s eyes were locked with his, intent and so full of love and the urge to understand, and Virgil couldn’t keep the tears at bay any longer if he tried.

“Virgil,” he whispered, anxiety flaring within his chest, but his excitement and complete trust in his brother quickly squandered it.

Remy smiled, releasing one of Virgil’s hands in favor of wiping away his tears. “It’s nice to meet you, Virgil.”

Virgil choked on a sob, or maybe it was a laugh. Either way, he pushed forward, throwing his arms around his brother’s waist and squeezing tight. Remy’s arms around him were a welcome weight, a warmth he knew would always be here, waiting for him. He pressed his face into Remy’s chest, smiling against his skin as he took his first, real breath in a long time.

They stayed like that for a while, until Virgil’s tears stopped and his arms were slightly numb. He gently pulled himself free of Remy’s grasp, wiping at his face again. He froze, pulling his hands away to stare at them.

Remy raised a brow at him. “You okay, kid?”

“Where’s my cigarette?”

Remy barked out a laugh and pointed at his feet. Virgil looked down to find the cigarette peeking out from beneath his shoe, the last of its embers cooling on the wood of the porch.

“Well shit,” he muttered, only causing Remy to laugh louder as he swung an arm around his shoulders.

“Come on, let’s go see if Nate’s done with dinner yet.”

Virgil immediately felt another wave of panic hit him, but Remy just shot him a knowing look and encouraging grin, and that warmth blossomed in his chest again. He smiled back up at his brother and nodded, the two of them making their way back inside. 

Nate was just setting the last of three perfectly proportioned plates on the dining room table when they found him. He noticed Virgil’s tearstained cheeks immediately but only raised a brow at him, waiting for him to explain.

Virgil shrunk under his gaze, blindly reaching for Remy’s hand and squeezing tight. He took a deep, shaky breath and squared his chin, looking his brother in the eye.

“My name is Virgil,” he said, his voice only shaking a little.

Nate looked at him for an agonizingly long moment before asking, “So I’ve got two brothers?”

Virgil bit his lip and nodded. “Yeah.”

Nate nodded and sat at the table. “Cool.”

Remy chuckled, pulling away from Virgil’s grasp to ruffle his hair before joining Nate. 

Virgil squawked at him, batting at his hand, but he couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him, bright and happy and just a tad hysterical.

He was safe here, with his true family. Safe, content, and warm all over- 

_Loved,_ his mind supplied.

Yes, he was loved.


End file.
